Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BED BUG CAPTURING DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bed bug capturing device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bed bugs are small nocturnal insects of the family Cimicidae that feed off the
blood of humans and other warm blooded hosts. Bed bugs exhibit cryptic
behavior,
which makes their detection and control difficult and time consuming. This is
particularly true for the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, which has become
well
adapted to human environments. Other species of bed bugs are nuisances to
people
and/or animals as well.
While bed bugs have been controlled in many areas, such as the United
States, the increase in international travel has contributed to a resurgence
of these
pests in recent years. There are many aspects of bed bugs which make it
difficult to
eradicate them once they have established a presence in a location.
Accordingly,
there is a need for effective traps to determine the presence of bed bugs
before they
become entrenched.
Adult bed bugs are about 6 millimeters long, 5 to 6 millimeters wide, and are
reddish brown with oval, flattened bodies. The immature nymphs are similar in
appearance to the adults, but are smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs do
not fly,
but can move quickly over surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in secluded
areas and can deposit up to five eggs per day, and as many as 500 during a
lifetime.
The bed bug eggs are very small, about the size of a dust spec. When first
laid, the
eggs are sticky causing them to adhere to surfaces.
Bed bugs can go for long periods of time without feeding. Nymphs can
survive for weeks without feeding, while adults can survive for months.
Consequently, infestations cannot be eliminated simply by leaving a location
unoccupied for brief periods of time. Further, such feeding habits make it
difficult to
monitor whether bed bugs are present as they may only be attracted to bait
when
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hungry. Thus, in order to be effective, a bed bug capturing device must be
able to
generate attractants at an effective concentration for an extended period of
time.
While bed bugs are active during the nighttime, during daylight they tend to
hide in tiny crevices or cracks. Bed bugs may therefore find easy hiding
places in
beds, bed frames, furniture, along baseboards, in carpeting and countless
other
places. Bed bugs tend to congregate but do not build nests like some other
insects.
Bed bugs obtain their sustenance by drawing blood through elongated mouth
parts. They may feed on a human for 3 to 10 minutes, although the person is
not
likely to feel the bite. After the bite, the victim often experiences an itchy
welt or a
delayed hypersensitivity reaction resulting in a swelling in the area of the
bite.
However, some people do not have any reaction or only a very small reaction to
a
bed bug bite. Bed bug bites have symptoms that are similar to other pests,
such as
mosquitoes and ticks. It is not possible to determine whether a bite is from a
bed bug
or another type of pest; and bites may be misdiagnosed as hives or a skin
rash.
Consequently, bed bug infestations may frequently go on for long periods
before
they are recognized.
Bed bug infestations originate by a bed bug being carried into a new area.
Bed bugs are able to cling to possessions and hide in small spaces, such that
they
may be transported in a traveler's belongings. As a result, buildings where
the
turnover of occupants is high, such as hotels, motels, inns, barracks, cruise
ships,
shelters, nursing homes, camp dwellings, dormitories, condominiums and
apartments, are especially vulnerable to bed bug infestations.
Because of all the features of bed bugs described herein, bed bugs are both
difficult to detect and eradicate. Professional pest removal specialists and
pesticides
are needed. It is necessary to remove all clutter and unnecessary objects from
a
room, remove bed bugs and eggs as much as possible through vacuuming, and
apply
pesticides to likely hiding areas. This type of treatment for eradication can
be
disruptive to a business such as a hotel. As a result, it is desirable to
detect bed bugs
at the earliest possible moment before an infestation becomes established.
The tiny, mobile and secretive behavior of bed bugs makes it nearly
impossible to prevent and control an infestation unless they are quickly
discovered
and treated. Bed bugs have been found to move through holes in walls, ceilings
and
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floors into adjacent rooms. Devices and methods for the early detection of bed
bugs
are especially needed in the hospitality industries.
While several attempts have been made to devise bed bug capturing devices
in the past, these devices have, in general, not proven to be commercially
effective.
The present inventors have studied many aspects of bed bug behavior, and
believe
that one factor in the failure of such devices to desirably perform is the
lack of an
effective trapping mechanism.
Thus, it has been observed by the present inventors that bed bugs, unlike
many other insect pests, are resistant to many types of sticky traps, having
the ability
to cross traps that would snare other insects, particularly where a heating
element is
not employed. Consequently, bed bug monitors that rely upon luring bed bugs to
sticky traps may not be effective as the bed bugs may simply walk across the
trap
surface and eventually exit the device.
Further, bed bugs are extremely sensitive to the roughness of the surfaces on
which they are placed. Bed bugs tend to avoid crossing smooth surfaces,
rendering
current traps which require such a traversal before they are trapped
ineffective.
Indeed, it has been unexpectedly found that traps having a textured surface
which
are effective to control other insect species are (when modified to contain a
bed bug
attractant) ineffective to control bed bugs as their surface is apparently too
smooth
for the bed bugs despite such outwardly rough appearance.
The present invention overcomes the above-identified problems by providing
novel bed bug capturing devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bed bug capturing device comprising: (a) a
bed bug attractant element; and (b) a deadfall capturing element comprising at
least
one pathway comprising: (i) an upwardly sloped segment; (ii) a downwardly
sloped
segment having an outer portion; and (iii) a deadfall trap area; characterized
in that
the upwardly sloped segment and at least the outer portion of the downwardly
sloped
segment possesses an surface roughness of at least about 2.5 micrometers.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the deadfall capturing
element pathway employed in the capturing device of this invention.
FIGURE 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of the deadfall capturing
element pathway employed in the capturing device of this invention.
FIGURE 3 is a side view of a third embodiment of the deadfall capturing
element pathway employed in the capturing device of this invention.
FIGURE 3A is an enlarged view of the inward portion of the upwardly
sloped segment and the downwardly sloped segment the embodiment shown in
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 4 is a side view of one embodiment of the device of this invention
which is circular in construction.
FIGURE 5A is a perspective view of a bed bug capturing device according to
an aspect of the invention.
FIGURE 5B is a perspective view of a portion of a bed bug capturing device
according to an aspect of the invention.
FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal cross-section of a bed bug capturing device
according to an aspect of the invention.
FIGURE 7 is a cross-section of a bed bug capturing device according to an
aspect of the invention.
FIGURE 8 is a top view of a bed bug capturing device according to an aspect
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a bed bug capturing device
comprising: (a) a bed bug attractant element; and (b) a deadfall capturing
element
comprising at least one pathway comprising: (i) an upwardly sloped segment;
(ii) a
downwardly sloped segment having an outer portion; and (iii) a deadfall trap
area;
characterized in that the upwardly sloped segment and at least the outer
portion of
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the downwardly sloped segment possesses an average surface roughness of at
least
about 2.5 micrometers.
The capturing device of this invention may be used as a monitoring device in
order to determine whether bed bugs are present; and/or as a device for
controlling
bed bugs.
The device of this invention may comprise any bed bug attractant which is
effective to lure the bed bugs into the device such that they enter into the
pathway of
the deadfall element and follow the path until they become trapped in the trap
area.
Attractants which may be employed include carbon dioxide, heat, pheromones,
human sweat components and the like, all of which are known to those of skill
in the
art. Mixtures of one or more attractants may also be employed.
Preferably, the attractant employed comprises at least one member of the
group consisting of organic acids and aldehydes; and more preferably comprises
at
least one member of the group consisting of butyric acid, trans-2-hexen-1-al
(Hexenal) and trans-2-octen-1-al (Octenal).
One particularly preferred attractant comprises an unsaturated aldehyde
component and an organic acid component. It is preferred that the unsaturated
aldehyde component be comprised of one or more aldehydes selected from the
group consisting of Hexenal and Octenal. It is preferred that the organic acid
component be butyric acid. When the aldehyde component is comprised of both
Hexenal and Octenal, it is preferred that the aldehydes be present in a ratio
of from
about 1:5 and about 5:1 of Hexenal to Octenal, more preferably in a ratio of
between
about 3:1 and about 1:3. In order to be most attractive to bed bugs, the
optimal
concentration of the Hexenal and Octenal mixture to be released is from about
50
ng/L/hr to about 200 ng/L/hour, and the optimal concentration of butyric acid
to be
released is between about 15 ng/L/hr and about 50 ng/L/hr. Mixing butyric acid
with
Hexenal and Octenal forms an unstable composition and it is necessary to
separate
the aldehyde component from the acid component. In order for the separate
components of the attractant composition to be released at the proper rates,
each
component may be dissolved in an organic solvent, for example a C8-C12 alkane.
For
applications in which the device may be subjected to temperature fluctuations
between about 20 C and 40 C, decane and undecane are particularly preferred
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solvents as their rate of volatilization is less affected by such temperature
fluctuations than is nonane.
In one aspect of the invention suitable attractants comprise Octenal
dissolved in decane at a concentration range of about 2000 to 3000 ppm
Octenal,
preferably from about 2500 to 2800 ppm octenal, and more preferably from about
2700 to 2750 ppm Octenal. A second suitable attractant that can be used in
conjunction with the Octenal is butyric acid dissolved in decane at a
concentration
range of about 200 to 2000 ppm butyric acid, and preferably from about 240 to
400
ppm butyric acid.
Each component may be incorporated into an absorbent material, for
example, but not limited to cotton batting, fiberized cellulose wood pulp,
synthetic
batting, polyester batting, felt, bonded carded webs, very high density
polyethylene
sponge and high loft spunbond materials. In order to regulate diffusion, a
semi-
permeable membrane can be used to encase the absorbent materials. The
attractant
components can be dispensed from containers with either a semi-permeable top
or a
sealed top containing one or more holes to allow diffusion into the
surrounding
atmosphere.
In one particularly preferred embodiment, the attractant is contained in an
ampoule comprising: an outer shell composed of an impermeable material and
defining at least one opening; a porous diffusion member defining an internal
reservoir positioned inside said outer shell; a volatile liquid comprising the
attractant
contained within such internal reservoir; and a film member adhered to said
outer
shell and covering said at least one opening; wherein said film member is
disposed
such that an air space is present between said porous diffusion member and
said film
member; and wherein said porous diffusion member is configured such that
molecules of the volatile liquid can only enter into said air space via
diffusion
through said porous diffusion member. The film member may be composed of a
permeable material though which the attractant will diffuse at a desired rate;
or it
may be made of an impermeable material and define one or more holes of a
predetermined size in order to release the attractant at a desired rate.
The device should be configured such that the bed bugs are lured into the
pathway of the deadfall element and induced to follow it until they are
trapped in the
trap area. This may be accomplished by locating the attractant within the
walls of the
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deadfall trap area, e.g., by having the attractant pass through one or more
chimneys
or holes located within the radius of the trap area.
The attractant element of this invention may comprise one or more means of
providing air flow such that the attractant is dispersed in quantities which
will attract
bed bugs. Any means which will produce the desired air flow may be employed
including heat, compressed gas (particularly when carbon dioxide is employed
as the
attractant), air pumps, fans, and the like. When the attractant comprises a
chemical
attractant which is heavier than air which is not under compression, such as
pheromones, organic acids or other attractants (including the mixed
aldehyde/organic acid mixture described above), the preferred air movement
means
is a fan, such that such device has a face velocity of between about 5 and
about 50
ml/cm2/min, more preferably of between about 10 and about 40 ml/cm2/min., and
most preferably of between about 15 and about 35 ml/cm2/min.
The trap pathway area may comprise one or more channels located within
the device. Alternatively, the pathway may comprise at least a portion of the
outer
shell of the device. In a further aspect, the pathway may encompass the entire
base
or outer shell of the device, for example, forming a frusto-conical structure.
In other
embodiments, a combination of ramps and channels may be employed.
Alternatively, if a vertically positioned trap is desired, the trap pathway
may
comprise a 180 degree ramp (when viewed from the top) or a portion thereof
The trap pathway is comprised of three portions: an upwardly sloped
segment; a downwardly sloped segment; and a trap area.
The upwardly sloped segment may, when viewed in cross-section, be planar,
concave or convex; alternatively such segment may comprise two or more
subsegments, e.g., a convex portion and a planar portion; or such segment may
comprise a series of small steps so long as they form a surface of sufficient
roughness in the aggregate. In one preferred embodiment, such segment
comprises
at least two planar portions which are set at different vertical slopes.
The upwardly sloped segment may be of any slope which will permit bed
bugs to climb along its surface. Preferably, such segment will have an overall
incline
of between about 20 and about 75 degrees; more preferably of between about 30
and
about 45 degrees.
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The downwardly sloped segment may, when viewed in cross-section, be
planar, concave, convex or a mixture of the foregoing. However, concave
surfaces
are generally not preferred, as they may interfere with the bed bugs falling
into the
trap portion of the device.
The downwardly sloped segment may further comprise a horizontal
subsegment which extends along its outer perimeter and connects to or is
integral
with the upwardly sloped segment.
In those embodiments in which the downwardly sloped segment comprises a
convex surface (e.g., where such portion is a curve in cross-section) the
radius of the
curve is preferably between about one-sixteenth and about one-half inch.
The trap area of the trap pathway comprises a substantially vertical portion
and a substantially horizontal portion. As is employed herein, the term
"substantially
vertical" refers to a slope which is steep enough to deter bed bugs from
climbing out
of the trap area. The substantially vertical portion preferably possesses a
smooth,
low-friction finish which will further deter the bed bugs from escaping. Such
a dead
fall should have an average surface roughness of about 2.3 micrometers or
less. The
depth of the deadfall created by the vertical portion is preferably at least
about 1 cm,
and is more preferably at least about 2 cm. deep.
If desired, the trap area may contain an insecticide or a viscous liquid which
will further immobilize or kill bed bugs. The trap area may also comprise a
sticky
surface, particularly if a heating element is present; however, the presence
of such a
sticky trap area is not required.
The pathway of the deadfall employed in the device of this invention is
characterized in that the upwardly sloped segment and at least the outer
portion of
the downwardly sloped segment possesses an average surface roughness of at
least
about 2.5 micrometers, more preferably of at least about 3.0 micrometers.
Average
surface roughness is the arithmetic average height of roughness irregularities
measured from a mean line within an evaluation length. The average surface
roughness of a material can be measured using a Pocket Surf portable surface
roughness gage available from Mahr Federal Inc.
As is demonstrated in the Examples below, bed bugs are very sensitive to the
roughness of the surfaces which they cross. In general, bed bugs will avoid
crossing
smooth surfaces having an average surface roughness of less than about 2.3
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micrometers. Consequently, devices which employ traps having surfaces which do
not possess a sufficient degree of roughness may be ineffective as bed bugs
may
refuse to follow such pathways until they have reached a point of no return.
In contrast, the upwardly sloped segment and at least the outer portion of the
downwardly sloped segment of the devices of the present invention possess a
sufficient degree of surface roughness such that bed bugs will be drawn along
the
pathway until a point where it becomes difficult for them to escape. In
preferred
embodiments, the bed bugs will be lured onto a downward slope before
encountering a smooth surface which will facilitate them falling into the trap
area of
the deadfall. As will be recognized by one of skill in the art, the optimum
extent of
the high-roughness area of the downwardly sloping segment will depend upon the
particular configuration employed. The smooth surface should possess an
average
surface roughness of less than about 2.3 micrometers.
The deadfall capturing element may be made of any suitable material or
materials which do not repel bed bugs. Preferred materials include hard
plastics such
as high impact polyethylene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Other
materials
which may be employed include polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polyvinylidene
chloride, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, cardboard, wax paper
board,
galvanized metal and aluminum.
If the surfaces of the materials used to construct the upwardly sloped
segment and the outer portion of the downwardly sloped segment do not possess
sufficient surface roughness, their surfaces can be modified by treating their
surface
with an abrasive material (such as sandpaper or a wire brush) or by adhering
an
appropriate material to the appropriate pathway surfaces (e.g, by gluing a
cloth or
paper to smooth plastic or metal). In one preferred embodiment at least a
portion of
such segments are molded from a plastic (such as polyethylene or
polypropylene)
which contains a filler material (such as glass, glass particles, glass fibers
or talc)
which will provide an adequate surface roughness. Although any amount of
filler
which will provide a suitable average surface roughness may be employed,
preferred
filler content when glass particles are employed as the roughening filler will
typically range from about 10 % to about 30 % by weight of the final
glass/polymer
composition, with about 20% by weight glass particle content being
particularly
preferred.
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It is preferred that the device be dark in color, for example black, dark
gray,
navy blue, dark blue or deep violet as bed bugs tend to choose darker surfaces
over
lighter surfaces. In general, colors darker than a photographic gray card are
preferred.
When employing the bed bug capturing device of this invention, care should
be taken to ensure that the device is placed flush with the surface on which
it is
positioned in order to avoid having the bed bugs crawl underneath instead of
into the
trap.
The present invention may be better understood by reference to the attached
Figures which are intended to be demonstrative of certain embodiments, but are
not
intended to be limiting of the scope of the invention in any manner.
FIGURE 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the deadfall capturing
element pathway employed in the bed bug capturing device of this invention. In
this
embodiment, such pathway is comprised of upwardly sloped segment 10,
downwardly sloped section 20 and deadfall trap area 30, which is defined by
substantially vertical portion 40 and substantially horizontal portion 50. It
is noted
that, in this embodiment, both upwardly sloped segment 10 and downwardly
sloped
segment 20 are planar. The outer surface of upwardly sloped segment 10 and the
outer portion of downwardly sloped portion 20 are roughened (in those areas
marked
as 60) such that they possess an average surface roughness of at least about
2.5
micrometers. The inner portion 70 of downwardly sloped segment 20 has a
smooth,
slippery surface having an average surface roughness of less than about 2.3
micrometers, as does substantially vertical section 40. Bed bugs are drawn by
the
attractant (not shown) up the rough surface 60 of upwardly sloped segment 10
and
down rough surface 60 of downwardly sloped segment 20. At this point they
encounter the slippery inner portion 70 of downwardly sloped segment 20 and
fall
into deadfall trap area 30 where they are trapped.
FIGURE 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of the deadfall capturing
element pathway employed in the monitoring device of this invention. In this
embodiment, such pathway is comprised of upwardly sloped segment 110,
downwardly sloped section 120 and deadfall trap area 130, which is defined by
substantially vertical portion 140 and substantially horizontal portion 150.
Downwardly sloped section 120 is comprised of horizontal subsegment 170 and
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curved subsegment 180. The outer surface of upwardly sloped segment 110 and
the
outer section of downwardly sloped portion 120 are roughened (in those areas
marked as 160) such that they possess an average surface roughness of at least
equal
about 2.5 micrometers. The inner portion of downwardly sloped segment 120 has
a
smooth slippery surface having an average surface roughness of less than about
2.3
micrometers. It is to be noted that curved subsegment 180 preferably has a
curve
radius of between about one-sixteenth and about one-half inch. A sharper angle
is
not preferred as bed bugs tend to avoid vertical drops.
FIGURE 3 is a side view of a third embodiment of the deadfall capturing
element pathway employed in the monitoring device of this invention; while
FIGURE 3A is an enlarged view of the inward portion of the upwardly sloped
segment and the downwardly sloped segment of this embodiment. In this
embodiment, such pathway is comprised of upwardly sloped segment 210,
downwardly sloped section 220 and deadfall trap area 230, which is defined by
substantially vertical portion 240 and substantially horizontal portion 250.
Upwardly
sloped segment 210 is comprised of a first planar slope 270 and a second
planar
slope 280, which are at different inclines, and upwardly curved section 290.
Upwardly curved section 290 merges into downwardly sloped segment 220 so as to
form a continuously curved surface. The outer surface of upwardly sloped
segment
210 and the outer section of downwardly sloped portion 220 are roughened (in
those
areas marked as 260) such that they possess an average surface roughness of at
least
equal about 2.5 micrometers.
FIGURE 4 is a side view of one embodiment of the device of this invention
which is circular in construction. This device is composed of top member 310
and
bottom member 320, which are connected by rods 324 and 326. Bottom member 320
comprises a deadfall capturing element comprised of upwardly sloped segment
330,
downwardly sloped segment 340, and deadfall trap area 350 which is defined by
substantially vertical wall 354 and substantially horizontal base 356. The
outer
surface of upwardly sloped segment 330 and the outer section of downwardly
sloped
portion 340 are roughened (in those areas marked as 360) such that they
possess an
average surface roughness of at least equal about 2.5 micrometers.
The device further comprises a bed bug attractant element comprised of
attractant 380 which is placed inside a well located in the trap area formed
by wall
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374. Foil layer 370, containing holes 382, is stretched across and bonded to
wall
374. The attractant element further comprises fan 390, which is powered by
battery
400, although alternatively an external power source could be employed.
Although
placed on the bottom of the unit in this particular embodiment, it is
understood that
the configuration of the devise could readily be modified by one of ordinary
skill in
the art to place the fan elsewhere, e.g., in the cover or on the side of the
attractant.
Air created by the circulation of fan 390 passes through holes 402, causing
molecules of attractant 380 to pass through holes 382 and eventually out of
the
device. By regulating the fan speed and hole size, the rate of attractant
dispersion
can be regulated as desired.
A further embodiment will be described with reference to FIGURES 5A
through 8.
Shown in FIGURE 5A is bed bug capturing device 500. The device
comprises cover housing 501 and rotatable top/actuator 502. Cover housing
501comprises upwardly sloped surface 503, and an edge having upwardly sloped
segment 517 and downwardly sloped segment 518 (shown in FIGURES 6 and 7)
which edge defines circular opening 504. Preferably, at least a portion of
cover
housing 501 is composed of a glass filled polymer having an average surface
roughness of at least about 2.5 micrometers. The glass filler material may be
in any
suitable form, such as, for example, particles, fibers, etc. The inner portion
of
downwardly sloped segment 517 has a smooth, polished surface having an average
surface roughness of less than about 2.3 micrometers.
Shown in FIGURE 5B is base plate 505 which can be more than one piece.
Base plate 505 can be made from polycarbonate. Also shown in FIGURE 5B is
power supply 506 (e.g., battery), battery clips 507, fan motor 508, air dam
509, dead
fall trap element 510, and attractant receiving element(s) 511, which can
include
more than one element for housing an appropriate attractant (e.g., a vial
containing
an attractant composition). For completeness, shown in Figure 5A are venting
holes
512. Shown in FIGURES 5A and 5B are cooperating snap-on portions 513a and
513b.
The rotatable top/actuator 502 can be any suitable polymer material.
Preferably the rotatable top/actuator 502 comprises a polymer that is
sufficiently
clear to allow visual inspection of the deadfall trap element 510. Preferably,
the
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rotatable top/actuator 502 comprises polyethylene terepthalate and more
preferably
clear polyethylene terepthalate. The base plate(s) 505 can be snap-on pieces
and can
be any suitable material, such as polycarbonate. The base plate(s) 505
preferably
form a tight seal with cover housing 501. The seal between base plate(s) 505
and
cover housing 501 should be tight enough to prevent bed bugs from crawling
between cover housing 501 and base plate(s) 505. Moreover, it is desirable for
the
seal to prevent attractant from escaping between the cover housing 501 and
base
plate(s) 505. The dead fall trap element 510 is shown as a flat surface dish
having
an upwardly extending wall or edge portion that extends around the perimeter
of the
flat surface. Attractant receiving element(s) 511 can be formed to accept one
or
more attractant containers, such as the polymer vials with metal foil tops
discussed
above.
Further details of bed bug capturing device 500 are shown in FIGURES 6
through 8.
FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal cross-section of the device 500. FIGURE 7 is a
cross-section of the device taken along line A-A in FIGURE 6. FIGURE 8 is a
top
view of the device.
As can be seen the device includes the following features not discussed
immediately above. The rotatable top/actuator 502 includes support members
515,
as well as piercing members 516. The rotatable top/actuator 502 can be rotated
as
shown in FIGURE 8. Rotatable top 502 can have a diameter larger than that of
cover housing opening 504. Moreover, cover housing opening 504 may be provided
with a plurality of notches that can serve as stop points for support members
515 as
the rotatable top/actuator 502 is rotated. Shown in FIGURE 8 are three such
stop
points. The first point can serve as a starting point, where prior to use of
the device
the rotatable top/actuator 502 is in the downward position (line B in FIGURE
6). To
activate the device, the rotatable top/actuator 502 can be pulled up, away
from the
device and rotated to the second point, which can serve as the piercing
position.
This position is designed such that the attractant receiving elements 511 are
positioned underneath piercing elements 516. At this point, the rotatable
top/actuator 502 can be depressed so that piercing elements 516 can puncture
the
metal foil tops of the polymer vials containing the attractant compositions.
After
piercing the metal foils, the rotatable top/actuator 502 can be placed back in
the up
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position and rotated to the third point. The third point can serve as a
locking
position for use when the device is in operation. When in this position, the
attractant
compositions can diffuse into the surrounding atmosphere. Motor 508 and
propeller
514 provide gentle air flow (left to right in Figure 6) over the pierced metal
foils to
direct the lure compositions toward cover housing opening 504 and rotatable
cover/actuator 502. Bed bugs are attracted to the attractant, climb the
upwardly
sloped surface 503 of cover housing 501 and are drawn toward opening 504. Upon
reaching the upwardly sloping portion 517 near the opening 504, the bed bug
then
continues to the downwardly sloping portion 518 near the opening 504 and falls
into
the deadfall trap element 510.
As a further feature, shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, is cover housing liner 519,
which can be made from a material that bed bugs cannot climb, for example,
polyethylene. Cover housing liner 519, which has an average surface roughness
of
less than about 2.3 micrometers can be formed to form a tight seal with the
raised
edges of deadfall trap element 510. This will provide a further means for
stopping
bed bugs from escaping from the trap once caught. The cover housing liner 519
can
also be formed to fit against the inner surface of the cover housing 501.
Moreover,
the cover housing liner 519 can extend up to the cover housing opening 504 to
provide a non-climbable surface up to the cover housing opening 504.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Attempts were made to lure bed bugs of the species Cimex lectularius into a
deadfall trap, The DomeTM Trap marketed by Trece Incorporated and employed in
the industry to capture grain pests such as grain beetles, cigarette beetles
and flour
beetles. Although this trap is manufactured from molded hard plastic having an
irregular outer surface, it was found that it was of insufficient roughness to
act as a
trap for bed bugs. When the external surface of this trap was roughened
employing
120-320 grit sandpaper, it was found that bed bugs no longer avoided climbing
the
surface as being too slippery.
14
CA 02771398 2012-02-13
WO 2011/028688 PCT/US2010/047260
60782-PCT
Example 2
A 25 mm diameter smear of Tanglefoot (a sticky surface employed for
trapping insects such as flies) was impregnated with 4 micrograms each of
Hexenal
and Octenal. Twenty-five unfed adult bed bugs of the species Cimex lectularius
were placed directly on the trap. It was observed that none of the bed bugs
were
trapped by the sticky surface even though they were attracted to and standing
upon
its surface.
Example 3
A planar coupon measuring 1.5 inch by 2.0 inches was prepared by molding
polypropylene containing 20 percent by weight of glass fiber ("PP-G"). The
average
surface roughness of such coupon was measured using a Mahr Pocket Surf
portable roughness gage. The coupon was placed onto an inclined holder at
about a
70 degree angle. An adult bed bug (Cimex lectularius) was placed onto the
center of
the coupon and visually monitored for about 5 minutes to determine if the bed
bug
was able to walk/climb the surface or was unable to hold onto the surface and
fell
off.
Additional coupons composed of polyethylene ("PE"); polyethylene that
had been sanded with 100 grit sandpaper ("sanded PE"); and high density
polyethylene (35 melt) ("HDPE") were also evaluated. The results of such
evaluation are summarized below:
Surface Average Roughness (gm) Climbable by Bed Bugs
G-PP 2.468 Yes
Sanded PP 3.100 Yes
PE 2.294 No
HDPE 0.214 No
